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STAMFORD -- Norwalk developer Jerry Effren has withdrawn his name from consideration for a top post in the Pavia administration, a spokesman for the mayor has confirmed.

Effren, principal of the Greyrock Cos., a Norwalk development firm, owes the city of Norwalk $45,000 in taxes for six properties where he had hoped to build 24 three-story waterfront condominiums.

The building plan, named Oysterbend Marina and Condominiums, was stymied after Effren discovered remnants of toxic chemical storage containers while dredging for the project. He sued the former property owners in 2004, saying he was not aware when buying the land that it was contaminated with toxic compounds. The case is still in court.

The developer had been under consideration for Stamford's director of operations post, one of four top positions under the new mayor, Michael Pavia. Effren said he withdrew because he did not want to cause any "distractions" for the mayor.

"I was hoping the lawsuit would be wrapped up this year," Effren said. "But due to the nature of the litigation and the regulatory process, it's just taking longer than anticipated."

Effren said he would have paid the taxes on the Oysterbend property if the lawsuit had been resolved this year. The properties will be eligible for sale in a tax auction in July if the past-due amount is not paid by then, according to Norwalk Tax Collector Lisa Biagierelli. But Effren said such an outcome is unlikely, because he is cooperating with state and federal environmental authorities on a plan to cap and monitor the contaminated site, at an estimated cost of $2 million.

Effren informed the mayor of his decision to withdraw in an e-mail earlier this month, Pavia spokesman Bob Lupinacci said.

"He bowed out very gracefully," Lupinacci said. "It's too bad; he was very qualified."

Republican insiders have said Pavia and Effren have long been close friends.

When Effren's name became public last month, his own position as a member of Pavia's transition team seemed to blur the lines concerning what role he was playing as the search for top officials unfolded. In the week before Pavia took office, Effren said he planned to meet with then-operations chief Benjamin Barnes. Yet transition team head Michael Larobina said he was not aware of the meeting, and ultimately it was canceled.

Effren is no longer a part of the transition team, Lupinacci said.

Before Effren withdrew, some environmental advocates said the public should scrutinize the manner in which he handled contamination at the Oysterbend property, because any person appointed to the director of operations post would oversee the Stamford's multimillion-dollar effort to address toxic contaminants found in and around the former dump in North Stamford's Scofieldtown Park.

"Everyone wants me to be successful in carrying this out because really no one else is going to clean this up but me," Effren said of the Oysterbend contamination.

While Effren agreed to cap and monitor the Oysterbend site, he passed on an alternative plan to remove the remaining chemical barrels found there, a move an environmental consultant estimated would cost $22 million.

Pavia named former traffic and road maintenance supervisor Ernie Orgera interim director of operations shortly after taking office. The mayor has said he plans to name a permanent operations director, as well as finance and public safety directors, within the next month.

Staff Writer Magdalene Perez can be reached at 203-964-2240 or magdalene.perez@scni.com.